Akash and BrahMos showcased India’s self-reliant Air Power during Operation Sindoor
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi, May 8. Two of India’s foremost missile pioneers – Dr Prahlada Ramarao, regarded as the architect of the Akash air-defence system, and Dr Sudhir Mishra, CEO & MD of BrahMos Aerospace – have described how decades of indigenous research and development translated into operational advantage for India during Operation Sindoor.
In a conversation with Anand Narasimhan at CNN-News18, the two distinguished Scientists traced the origins of the Akash missile system and the BrahMos missile, explaining how the systems embody India’s long pursuit of defence self-reliance and how they performed in real conflict conditions.
From imports to indigenous capability
Dr Prahlada recalled that the Akash story began in 1983, when the Government of India concluded that excessive dependence on imported defence equipment – “even soldiers’ shoes,” as he put it – was untenable. The armed forces were asked to identify priority weapons India must build at home. Four projects were approved under what later became the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme: a short-range surface-to-air missile, a medium-range surface-to-air missile (Akash), a tactical surface-to-surface missile, and an anti-tank missile
What surprised scientists at the time was that all four projects were cleared simultaneously, despite limited manpower and infrastructure. Under the leadership of APJ Abdul Kalam, teams were formed and responsibilities assigned. Dr Prahlada said he was unexpectedly chosen to lead Akash – then considered the most technologically demanding of the lot.
Why Akash was uniquely complex
Unlike surface-to-surface missiles that strike fixed coordinates, air defence must track and destroy moving, manoeuvring, and often jamming aircraft. Dr Prahlada explained that this required mastery over multiple domains: radar discrimination, electronic warfare resistance, rapid reaction time, and complex software capable of distinguishing real targets from ground reflections at very low altitudes.
When the Indian Air Force demanded real-world validation, it imposed stringent conditions: the missiles and radars had to come from production agencies, not DRDO labs; Akash had to demonstrate low-altitude interception at “treetop level”; and it had to prove multi-target capability against varied threats approaching simultaneously at different altitudes, speeds, and directions.
To meet these demands, Akash’s reaction time was cut from 15 seconds to just five seconds from detection to launch. Indigenous software was developed to eliminate radar confusion caused by ground reflections during low-altitude tracking.
Cost-effective air defence
Dr Prahlada emphasised Akash’s cost advantage. He compared it to the MIM-104 Patriot system, saying Akash delivers comparable performance at roughly a tenth of the cost. Being fully produced in India also ensures a secure supply chain and rapid availability.
Akash has a nominal range of 30 km and can intercept targets in under 30 seconds, making it effective even against close-range threats. The system is fully mobile and has been tested in deserts, high altitudes such as Leh, and extreme weather conditions.
BrahMos: joint venture to near-total indigenisation
Dr Mishra explained that DRDO’s joint venture with Russia for BrahMos was never a simple technology transfer. Instead, both sides developed their respective technological components. Over time, India replicated and indigenised most subsystems, reducing dependence on Russian inputs to primarily the sustainer component of the propulsion system.
Today, nearly 85 percent of BrahMos technologies are indigenous, with integration taking place at Indian facilities. Dr Mishra said this model not only reduced costs but built skills, employment, and industrial capacity within the country.
Why BrahMos is hard to intercept
According to Dr Mishra, BrahMos combines three key survivability features: a composite structure that absorbs radar signals, a slim “pencil-like” shape with minimal radar signature, and extremely high speed at low altitude. These factors compress enemy reaction time and make tracking and interception difficult.
He added that BrahMos follows complex flight paths, including manoeuvres that make prediction harder. While adversaries may study known patterns, newer versions are continually being developed to remain unpredictable.
Offensive role and tri-service deployment
Mishra clarified that BrahMos is primarily an offensive weapon. Its deployment across the Army, Navy, and Air Force – including the air-launched version on the Su-30 MKI – allows rapid redeployment across India’s vast geography.
Layered defence suited to India’s geography
Comparing India’s needs with systems like Iron Dome, Dr Prahlada noted that India’s threat environment is different. While Iron Dome focuses on short-range artillery shells, India’s primary concern is aircraft and threats originating hundreds of kilometres away. Akash, he said, is better suited to this requirement at far lower cost.
The R&D challenge
Both scientists stressed that long-gestation defence R&D cannot be outsourced entirely to the private sector. Dr Mishra argued that technology development requires 15-20 years of sustained effort with uncertain financial returns, necessitating continued government involvement. However, he advocated evolving funding mechanisms to support private industry participation in R&D more effectively.
Multiple Akash variants, evolving BrahMos
Dr Prahlada revealed that three versions of Akash now exist – the base system, Akash Prime, and Akash NG – with some variants already exported and others in demand. Dr Mishra hinted that while the BrahMos name will remain, future versions will be significantly different in capability, ensuring that adversaries cannot easily adapt.
Both the Scientists suggested that Operation Sindoor validated decades of indigenous effort, demonstrating that India’s self-reliant missile systems are no longer experimental projects but battle-proven assets.
